SHARING STORIES
Our blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless.
We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again.
We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating.
This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
On This Wild Full Moon
This full moon rocked me to my core. Anyone else?!
On this wild full moon, I decided, I was letting go of the limiting beliefs about myself. Often my inner dialogue can sometimes strangle the best parts of who I am. And after meditating, I had fully decided this will no longer stand within my life. And with full honestly, this is something I have been battling with forever.
Deep down there is a young 20 year old mother feeling lost. Scared and worried what was going to happen next. And this version of myself likes to show up when I am feeling the least confident. It has taken me sometime to understand her. Her wants, her needs and her desires. And what she is forgetting is all these things she wanted way back then are happening right now before her eyes but she is too scared, too worried and too focused on the outcome rather than the journey.
These last few months, I have learn more about myself than ever before. Discovering what is a full body fuck yes and what is not. When to lean in more and when to pause and rest.
So as this full moon reminded me of who I once was, it’s also reminds me of who I am becoming.
If it’s scares you, jump in and don’t look back.
If it worries you, ask yourself why.
And if you’re focused on the end results, remind yourself all of the best parts happening throughout the journey not at the finish line.
May the full moon ground you in your transformation and remind you of how fucking powerful you are.
Written by PC
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe in celebrating all moments, whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
Inhale, Exhale, Breathe.
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe.
I’m breathless at the thought of reviving breathless memories. The ones I’ve yet to heal rest just beneath the surface of my awareness, grappling to be seen. I see a man before me. Separated by glass we stare eye to eye, equally perplexed and stressed.
We dart simultaneously, racing to any sign of safety, both feeling the crushing weight of our fragile mortality. I see myself as a young mother with a long french braid and red cheeks, staring at the screen that once showed my baby’s pounding heart beat.
I spent months resting my soul, mind, and body, but still shatter when I see the painting I made in their memory. I see apparitions that haunted me in my dreams; projections of my stress as a hollowed and broken teen. I wandered the world like a ghost, numb with apathy, smiling to everyone so no one would see. And it’s the fear of feeling that now sweeps the breath from my lungs—the anticipation of reliving distress from so long ago.
But once I allow a fresh inhale and let go, I feel the winds shift and relieve the aches I hold.
Inhale. Exhale.
I’m breathing—I’m healing—by gently allowing the memories to sweep through me. And the more I allow the waves to come, the more I cultivate compassion for my story —and I know I’m not alone in the struggles I’m facing.
I’m surrounded by strong women.
I see fragments of my past woven through the pages of their own stories.
Reflections of a mutual drive to overcome pain and carve a lighter reality.
Inhale. Exhale. Breathe.
Written by Sammie Burgett
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe in celebrating all moments, whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
The Battle Between My Body and My Brain
I have been calling my writings “ah-musings”
Broken down, it means this…
ah: used to express a range of emotions including surprise, pleasure, sympathy and realization
musings: to describe something that’s reflective or thoughtful, like a musing diary entry that explores the meaning of life. When you ponder or contemplate, you muse, and anything that appears this way can be described as musing.
The Battle
Sitting upright and rigid in the cool, early light of dawn at 6:57 am, I still feel myself resist, knowing only moments before, I was cocooned and comforted by warmth. At first, upon waking, before jarring myself out of bed, I feel myself resist opening my eyes.
My brain fights with my body, hard. It feels so good to keep my eyes closed after he rises. I faintly see the dim blue light from the TV, most likely CP24 as it always seems to be, sharply turn to black as he clicks the remote to walk out the door. A sense of relaxation comes over me as I am once again cloaked in darkness.
I hear his key in the door.
Click. It’s locked.
Again. Any tension I had in my body melts into the mattress. My eyes don’t need to close as tightly to block out the cool, faint light from the TV or yellow shine emanating softly from above the stove anymore. My eyes temporarily don’t need to block out the fact that it’s early and even though I want to keep sleeping, I should wake up. I feel it all in my body. Calm. Peace. Surrender. My body held between the sheets.
I momentarily allow my body and my brain to battle.
But only for a moment before my mind snaps me back into sharp awareness of things I should be doing. Back into making to-do lists and running through all the things I am behind on and where I am not taking action. Anxiety once again grips my chest. Its long, strong fingers wrapped tightly around my heart. Tightly around my neck. I can’t breathe. I momentarily allow my body and my brain to battle. My body - flowing, curvy, adaptable, fighting for the blissful surrender of my bones into the bed, of my soul hovering slightly above as I sink deeper into the plush mattress.
The calm excitement of sleeping a little longer washes over me. My body wanting to feel my feminine soft energy - an honouring like no other. My brain - logical, staunch, rigid, all-knowing, fighting for productivity and action, wanting to feed off that supposed masculine energy - an accomplishment to satisfy my ego. Today, I let the opposing sides of my being battle it out until, on this day, my brain wins.
On this day, my brain wins.
Knowing, as it wants me to, that to get up early is to have a bit more time to do the things that my feminine movement and energy craves. I allow presence to flood my every move. Feeling my way to a grounded awareness. Letting my body mindfully feel and move through the now still air of the apartment where he swiftly walked down the hall and out the door. I feel the cool, concrete floor on my feet as they step around my sleeping dog.
I let the droplets trickle down my cheeks as I splash water on my face. Hear the rapid like bubbling of water in the kettle as I prepare my morning coffee. Presence while drinking my lemon water, as I should before my caffeine hit. Patiently waiting for my Italian Press to gurgle, indicating I can move onto the next step of making a liquid that my brain craves more than my body. A liquid that my brain tells me I need this early in the morning to be productive. So as to feel it in my bones, feel it in my body, I’m present with each dutiful sip as I slowly sink into the couch, much like the mattress next to him, to write at 6:57 am.
Written by Stephanie Rankine
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe in celebrating all moments, whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
Lessons and Finding Your Sacred Space
It wasn't always like this. I didn’t always dislike myself.
One of the greatest lessons of my life is still being learned. Or rather, unlearned. I came out of the womb a feisty, fiery, self-assured aries. Right away, I always knew what I wanted and I never second-guessed myself. I’m sure most kids are the same.
Insecurity was taught to me. It was a learned behaviour. Kids would hurl cruel insults my way over my hobbies. My personality. Strengths. Weaknesses. My body. I was forced to question my worth and whether or not being myself was even worth the torture of existing in this social hierarchy of school. I began to apologize for who I was. Wished that I could be someone else.
None of That Existed
I insisted on working at a horse farm in exchange for riding lessons; being 11 and absolutely horse-crazy I would have done just about anything to be in the presence of a horse. When I was told that yes, I could ride, but I would also have to work. Take care of the horses. Clean up after them. I didn’t bat an eye, that actually sounded better than just riding. Spend a whole day at the farm with horses? Sign me up.
Every weekend on that farm I was reborn. I was allowed to come back to myself. Not only was I given the opportunity to test my physical boundaries, and accomplish something meaningful…but then I got to ride! An 11-year-old girl making a partnership with a 1,500-pound animal is empowering in ways that you cannot describe without experiencing it yourself.
Being surrounded by strong, confident, empowering women who encouraged me to shed the skin that I felt trapped living in during the week. Sitting at a desk reading threatening notes from classmates. Being told that I was too fat. That I tried too hard. I was annoying. That I was too sensitive. I studied too much.
But none of that existed when I stepped into those riding boots.
Moments that left me breathless
I remember once galloping full force in a mowed-down cornfield. My soulmate with four legs was running so fast, that I didn’t even feel like her feet were touching the ground. I knew in my mind that one untoward sound, one bad step, anything that might possibly interfere with this rhythm and momentum…could end in disaster. Injury, for sure, or worse. But in my gut, I was completely fearless. I was so at peace. That moment left me breathless. And it still does, decades later.
Several years later, my horse refused to let me catch her in the field. She would skip away whenever I got close to catching her. I’m sure she thought it was hilarious because her four legs outmatched my two (very short I may add) legs every time. In a bemused huff, I dropped down onto the grassy field. I took a few deep breaths and I closed my eyes for a moment. It was a Saturday. I had all day anyway. The sun beat down on my face. The grass tickled my arms. It was so peaceful. After a few minutes, I felt a warm breath on my face so I opened my eyes and was greeted by a soft velvety nose and two large brown eyes. In that moment, I lost all fear and insecurity. I was one with nature. I was connected. It took my breath away.
Learning and Unlearning Lessons
I’m not proud to say that, over time, the way that I spoke to myself paled in comparison to the jokes, the snark, the gossip and isolation that I faced daily. It wasn’t getting better. It was getting worse. I had learned from my peers to be cruel to myself. I'd beat myself up over everything I said, everything I did, and I wouldn’t let it go. I would force myself to ruminate over all of the ways that I perceived that I was failing. Events where I would make myself the villain, the failure, or the fool. I became my biggest bully.
Being unkind to yourself is so hard to unlearn. I am still trying to unlearn it.
But I know that fearless girl in the field is in there somewhere.
Find Your Sacred Space
While I still have my horse, I don’t ride as often anymore. She’s an old gal now, 24 years old and she enjoys walking in the fields. We don’t gallop anymore. But we still deeply enjoy each other’s company. Being around horses is the closest that I can ever get to being fully present in the moment as an adult. It’s something that I hope to never lose.
I would hate to think of where I would have been if I didn’t have that sacred space. On the farm, in the saddle, with a determined smile on my face. In my gut, I know that it is the antidote to all of the insecurity that I still carry with me to this day. It’s a lesson that I am still learning, every day.
Written by Lindsey Duff
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe in celebrating all moments, whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
Two Different Versions Of Myself
It was hard to hear even though I knew deep down it was true.
I was breathless and in shock when I first heard the words and I laughed right after because honestly, I felt like someone could finally see me.
Even writing this, it’s hard to put on paper exactly what is going on deep within my soul. Almost every day I battle behind two very different versions of myself.
The first one, a scared young new mom not really knowing what to do but pushing through trying not to make too many ripples in the water. Worried if she does something or someone will be upset and always putting everyone’s needs before her own. Filled with worry, anxiety and the consistent fear of letting someone down.
The second one, deeply connected to herself, confident in her own skin, not afraid to take the leap. A dream chaser never looking back and riding the waves not too worried where it will lead.
Even though I knew deep down this was happening, to bring so much awareness to it was frightening. Now that the curtain has been drawn and the real me has been revealed, how do I heal the younger scared version of who I am. This person has lived with me for 15 years and oddly enough it is hard to say goodbye.
What If I'm Not Ready?
It’s hard because if I say goodbye, what will be left in the void? Will there be a void or will the other part of me be fully embraced and loved? What if I am not ready? But will I ever be ready? I would ask myself this all the time and honestly, I still don’t have the answers.
And as I continue to navigate my healing journey, I have realized as I heal these parts of myself, I am only growing. Growing into the person I am truly meant to be and cultivating a life I truly want to live. I am ready to step into this next version of myself all I have to do now is take the leap. Here I go!
Written by Portia Chambers
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe in celebrating all moments, whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
I'll Just Drift Away
Everything went black, I stood there waiting for the bus and everything went black. I didn’t know what was happening as I heard my loud heart beating like it was in my mouth and just numbed my whole being, about to stop my breathing and that was it I’ll just drift away and no one will notice.
All this was, was self inflicted the suffering, the intrusive thoughts, the only person behind it all was me. Living seemed like the hardest thing for me to do. It seemed like it would never end this constant longing to be free, little did I realize that I was the only key to my freedom.
I Was Not Meant To Live This Way
But where did I learn to live like this? We must have been taught by someone. Was it our mother? Was it our father? Was it the person we used to be in a past life? I pondered for many years on this single question and I could never pin point a single answer to this profound question until that AHA moment came over me like a feather slowly drifting through the ether. I felt captivated, stunned and even more so relieved. That this was not the way I was meant to live. I was meant to be free with not a care in the world. Like being a young innocent child just flowing through life. So happy to be barefoot and naked on the earth.
Was I Attracting This Into My Life?
I realized that I was attracting all of this negativity into my life. I was the only one behind it all, so if that was the case then couldn’t I change it? Of course I could but it was brand new territory. I decided I would try an experiment: I would act the opposite of how I was used to acting. Instead of freezing every time I entered a room with a mute look on my face, terrified to speak to anyone, I would smile, straighten the hunch in my back and give everyone a hug and just trick myself into being happy.
I wasn’t truly happy, but if I pretended maybe I could trick my brain into believing this new way of living. Soon it just became second nature. I felt like a fraud though because I wasn’t being honest I was lying to myself so others would believe I was healed.
But Was It The Smartest Thing?
Was this the smartest approach? After 10 years have flown by I can say that yes this was the smartest approach. I don’t even recognize the person I used to be. I shed all of the layers of who I thought I was and welcomed the person I truly was with open arms and haven’t looked back since. It has been a long road of persistence and focus to just feel okay. It’s still so hard but it’s the only thing keeping me going.
Written By Cassie
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless. We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
A Breathless Moment
Dear Diary,
I'm thinking of moments that left me breathless.
I’ve lived long enough to have collected many such moments and memories, some good some not so good but all have come as gifts to my growth as a human.
Feeling Empowered
I’ve never felt more empowered than the day I gave birth to my beautiful daughter not to say that the birth of my son wasn’t equally monumental.
I’ve never felt more vulnerable and raw, courageous and in charge.
Creating a tiny perfect human from scratch amazed me.
Feeling that mind body connection, for the first time my soul bares the scent, my cells hold the joy, being a witness of nature and gifts provided has left me breathless.
Nina
Written by Nina Patterson
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
WE vol.3 - Spotify Playlist
May's playlist is one we played at our first WE Gather event in April. If you missed it, don't worry another one is coming very soon!
We wanted to create a playlist filled with classic toe tappers and current hits that make you want to dance.
This playlist is perfect for when you're cooking, chillin' outside, going on long drives and for a little pick me up during a long day.
Give it a listen & let us know what you think!
Each playlist is a collaboration with those within our community.
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
Life Is Lived In The Little Moments
As I started to think about what I could share for this blog, I came up empty. I couldn’t think of a single story I could write about, any particular breathtaking moment, my mind was blank.
A while ago, when I was doing a program to help me activate my courage with getting more visible, specifically through video, many of the prompts relied on recall and storytelling, and I struggled then too. I watched as so many of the participants were able to show up, sharing these beautiful stories from their lives with such vivid description and emotion that moved me. I felt really down and frustrated with myself that I couldn’t seem to do that. I love expressing myself through writing yet storytelling in those ways just didn’t seem accessible to me. And so I wrote it off as ‘just not my jam’. Some people’s gifts are their beautiful storytelling abilities, and that just wasn’t mine.
Of course I forgot all about that when the opportunity to contribute to this blog presented itself until it came time to actually write, and I froze. Shit, what was I going to write about?!
Want me to channel a guided meditation - I’m in.
Want me to create some copy for my product line creating a beautiful visual of a self-care experience - I’m good.
Want me to express the musings going on in my head at any moment - sure.
Need me to recall a story, an actual memory of my lived experience and extract the wisdom from it for you, on demand, in written form - fuck no.
And so, my mind started spinning stories of its own - ones of self-doubt that I’ve created over the years. Ones about how I am not enough. The “who does she think she is?” kinda thoughts.
The Downward Spiral.
And then I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air, enlivening my cells with nourishment, inviting more love into my body. I let out a loud sigh, feeling my body soften, my shoulders sink, the spaciousness left once I exhaled all that self-doubt.
And what came to me was this realization.
So much of my work - in this world, in my business, and in my life - is working to be present.
Yoga, meditation, breathwork, essential oils, energy work, creating products, making art, writing, therapy...they’re all tools and practices that help me get out of my head, into my body and more connected to my heart. And I love teaching others about them too because I know what it's like to feel lost in the thought spirals, my brain seemingly hijacked, my body a source of shame and painful stories, my fear, worries and doubts holding me hostage.
And when you’re stuck in your head, you’re not in the present moment which means you miss out on so much.
How many beautiful memories have I missed out on because I was too busy stressing over the past, worried about the future, holding myself back from my dreams or too self-conscious about my body?! A whole fucking lot.
Though I’ve known this on some level for a while, I don’t think I put it all together so clearly before. The storytelling, the memory recall, the anxiety and the real ‘why’ behind my decade worth of learning, adopting, adapting, using and teaching so many self-care tools and practices.
Whoa.
Such deep healing can happen quickly and powerfully in these moments of realization and clarity. And it took my breath away.
A Love Letter To Myself
So I wrote this love letter to myself as a reminder and maybe it’s a reminder that will help others too…
Dear Kristin,
I know sometimes it feels like life is overwhelmed by such big worries and experiences, but the truth is, life is really lived in the little moments of every day.
A quiet minute to yourself while you sip your coffee. A goofy laugh with your little one when they’re doing something silly. Jamming to your favourite song in the car. The way the sunlight in that golden hour shines in through your window. Playing at the beach with your kiddo. Hugging someone you love. Creating for pure joy.
Don’t miss out on them because you’re too worried about how you look, what you said, didn’t say or should have said. Because you’re wondering what other people think of you, or what could go wrong if you follow that dream, or because you’re thinking of the pile of things on your to-do list.
Be here now.
In your body. In the moment.
Listen, like really listen. Connect. Create memories.
There is only ever the present moment.
Don’t miss it for worrying. For fear. For overthinking. For self doubt. For not feeling good enough. Smart enough. Pretty enough. Skinny enough.
Don’t miss it for dwelling on a past you can’t change. Or a future that you’re actually creating right now, so be intentional.
These are the good old days.
The days you’ll look back on:
*if* you’re present.
*if* you’re making memories.
*if* you’re all in.
Play. Laugh. Be ridiculous. Cry. Feel it all. Do the thing you’ve been dying to do. Fuck up. Forgive yourself. Learn. Take risks. Celebrate. Wear the bathing suit. Take the photos. Be intentional. Live.
Please, truly live this one beautiful life of yours.
Love,
Kristin
Written by Kristin Harris
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
Beyond Fear Is Growth
I started to write this blog, what felt like a million times. I wrote about body image, fear of others opinions of me, losing myself throughout the years, about not being myself in fear of others judgments of me and serial dating in fear of being alone.
I've come to the conclusion. Over the years, with the people I've met and the experiences I learned from the good and the bad ones, came growth!
Leaning And Learning Into Life Lessons
I've learned,
What others think of me is their business.
Be crazy, be silly, happy go lucky, who cares!
Be mad when you're mad and sad when you're sad. Having feelings and feeling deeply is normal and absolutely fucking ok!
It's ok to be alone, you learn who are! As an individual. Learn to give yourself love. Have standards, don't just settle! And the right person will arrive, at the right time!
Body image, doesn't make you, who you are. Doesn't mean you are ugly, unworthy or not worth happiness. Be comfortable in your own skin and love who you are.
Body image was a big one for me. I did alot of yoyo dieting and was never happy with myself. I decided to put in the work and make life style changes. But not just for my body image. But for inside and out!!!
FUCK what people think of you, FUCK what society says you should look like! FUCK not being YOU!!!!
JUST BE YOU!
I love you!
Written By Marielle Morin
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
A Playlist For The Soul
Have you ever listened to a song and felt it deep within your soul? This playlist will make you feel oh sooo good.
Songs that will make you cry. Songs that will make you happy. Songs that will allow you to let go and just be.
When listening to our playlists, we encourage you to close your eyes and disconnect for a little.
Give it a listen & let us know what you think!
Each playlist is a collaboration with those within our community.
Written By Marielle Morin
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
The Next Right Thing...
What does it mean to truly love yourself? What does it mean to truly care about yourself in a way that is so deep that you would do anything to be well. This was something that I had never done, never thought I could and was frankly too afraid to do. What would they do without me? Who will I disappoint? Will there be someone left so utterly pissed off with me that I can’t even bear to even look them in the eye? Now I say…who the FUCK cares.
Rewind 6 years ago when I welcomed my daughter into our lives. It was a much anticipated time that brought so much excitement and joy, a day that I will always describe as the best day and most painful day I have ever experienced in my whole life. She is everything to me. Why am I constantly feeling anxious, worried, overwhelmed. At times I feel like I don’t want to bother heading out to see anyone, or go to swimming lessons, or to the grocery store. It just feels so hard. I curse and I swear and I feel so much anger and frustration…but I go. I do it, I show up and I come back home and I am fine. But I was disconnected, not truly enjoying any of those moments because I was filled with such angst that I wish I could go back and relive all of those sweet moments again and again. I feel like I shit them away and spent way too much time suffering and looking back, I shouldn’t have.
This Will Be Different This Time
Then my boy. He came along and filled me up again with so much joy that I thought “okay, this will be different.” I will not succumb to other people's expectations of me (that I was quite possibly making up in my own mind), and I will speak. I will open up about how I am feeling and reach out if I need help. This time would be different. I will not be filled with anger, frustration and anxiousness and I will allow more sunshine into my life this time. It’s not that bad. I’ve spoken to my doctor. I don’t want to hurt my baby or anything. I don’t need help! I’m really not worthy of a serious look at any sort of mental evaluation. I have great days! I am okay! I’ve got this!
Sitting on the couch one night just a few months after having our son, I felt a large absence of hair on the top of my head. Oh no! I’m dying! Okay, okay, maybe it’s just very serious postpartum hair loss. It’s funny what your body does when it is screaming out at you to put yourself first and reach out for any life saving device that will keep you afloat. Well, she grew, she grew and she grew and grew until I was taken to a place that took me off my feet. Literally, standing in a classroom in front of a group of grade one’s I crumbled to my knees and had to be picked up from the school by my husband. Who truly didn’t understand what was happening to me. Doctors visits, a really bad flu, too much stress? All of these things were on the table. And indeed I was going back to work. It was Wednesday, I’ll be back on Monday.
Only Three Days
That is only three days of supply plans that someone would have to scramble to create. I would only really piss off three or four people who I wouldn’t provide a prep for at the school. This was too much. I had to get back to work. Being away was not the answer. Even the doctor said, in front of my husband, “the worst thing you can do is not go to work.” Well, it went from bad to worse. I mustered up enough energy to try and make it to a family birthday celebration. I was so dizzy and full of fear that I could not eat, drink or make eye contact with anyone. These are the moments that fill me with so much regret. I regret not treating myself fairly and seeking the help that I so badly needed so long ago.
The same night, I just needed to make it home to my bed, we packed up the kids and started to make our way home. It was a snowstorm, a blizzard, I could not see or focus on anything. I had lost total control. I panicked and pulled over where I sobbed and got out of the vehicle in a panic. My husband and I did the old switcheroo and I spent the rest of the ride home breathing and lying up and down to my children that “mommy was ok.” I was not okay, in fact I was far from it. That night I envisioned that switcheroo that my husband and I did on the side of the road in the blizzard, except this time…I didn’t switch. I watched myself get hit by an oncoming car and that was the end.
Take me to a padded room. I cannot be here anymore. This has to be the way it's going to end up. SO. FUCKING. SCARY. Get me away from my children, I cannot be trusted near them. This was my script. It has to be true. My mind had taken a full tail spin into a place that I didn’t know existed. When you go to this place, everything else disappears around you and you can no longer even hear a rational thought. One more day, and that’s it. I won’t live like this any longer than that. Upon reflection, those words taste so sour in my mouth that I could spit them out. There was nothing to cling to, but I had one life line. I made a phone call to my brand new therapist who I had finally started to see and do some deep work with. During the Christmas holidays, she had me come to her office and she let me know that she would hold my hand and walk me down to the hospital if I so wished. But then she looked me in the eye and asked me, “do you want to put yourself in front of a car?” My reaction was instant. No I did not. I was petrified of what entered my mind. She slowly chipped away at what was right in front of me. She explained that what happened was an intrusive thought, it was not a suicidal action. Okay, I had something to cling to. A freckle of hope. But now what…
It Was The Next Right Thing
“Jenna, if your daughter was feeling this way and was dealing with such a crisis what would you want her to do? Would you want her to go to work?” I had actually never thought about myself in a way that included so much love and care. Why do I not love myself the way I love my children? The next decision was one that I had to make quickly. With a little extra push from my mom, I decided not to go back to work. It was the next right thing. It was all I could do at the time. Put one foot in front of the other. My life is worth more than my job and I am so replaceable in that building. I am not replaceable at home and to my family. This seems so small now, but the idea is wide and needs to be remembered just as fresh as it was the day that I sat shaking in my mom's car. You are more than your work. You are more than your ability to produce. You are allowed to pause, break, wipe yourself clean and then fall again and end up at the bottom. You are allowed to not be ok. And it will not be this way forever. You deserve help. You are worthy of a crutch and a lifeline. Your life is worth more than any job, title, or amount of money. The decision I made following a trip to the doctor was the next right thing. I would try to give myself something that I deserved. I deserve to not suffer from anxiety that is keeping me from doing the things that I love. I deserve to have a chance at having clear thoughts and the ability to make decisions without crumbling to my knees. I deserve medication that can help my brain function as best as it can in order to live a fulfilling life as a mother, wife, sister, daughter, teacher and friend. It was the next right thing.
Walking…the next right thing.
Breathing…the next right thing.
Showering…the next right thing.
Eating…the next right thing.
Talking…the next right thing.
Yoga…the next right thing.
This was the focus. These tiny things that helped me to lift the clouds away from my eyes were all the next right things that I had to do. Not work, not make time for anyone else, not provide answers that just placed a lovely little blanket on top of a huge problem. Me. I needed to come back to myself and putting myself first. Treating myself as if I were my daughter. Standing up for what I needed just as if I needed it for her. I wanted that person to get better so desperately. She needed love and care and time. And that is what I gave to her. Childhood trauma, two major life transitions, pressures of living fully while trying to raise little humans, these are all huge things that we often don’t allow ourselves to feel validated about. They are hard. Life is hard, but we have to realize when our bodies are screaming out from the rooftops, something has to be done. We have to love and care for ourselves just as we would our children, or the most precious loved one in your life.
Moments in time are like little pieces of a puzzle that shape the way your life is meant to unfold. Who cares what the shape is or how much ground it covers. It’s beautiful and amazing in its own way. Leaning into the bad and reminding myself that it is only one piece is something that I am still learning to do. The big pieces that change you for the better are great and they can create new meaning in your life, but the bad ones are there too. They deserve light and love in a different way. Leaning into the times where we find ourselves on the floor can be hard, but so fulfilling after the storm has cleared. Leaning in was the next right thing. Helping myself to climb out of darkness as each moment passed by was the next right thing. I will always embrace the times where my body is shouting out to stop and care for what it is in front of me. I deserve it and my life will now be full of little pieces that are all loved and cared for.
Written by Jenna Gouveia
The WE blog is a collection of stories and journal entries from women sharing moments in their life that left them breathless .We believe that all moments should be celebrated whether they are the happiest moments of your life, moments that left you feeling lost or moments where you healed yourself again and again. We are here for all of it. No moment is too small. No moment isn’t worth celebrating. This is a safe space to share. A place where you can be yourself. A place to heal.
Here's what women are saying after writing their story:
“So surreal! I am so glad I could use this place to heal. It is perfect, it is supportive, it is beautiful. Thank you for this gift. I will cherish this opportunity forever.”
“It was such an interesting experience to write it. The process of writing it, is the moment that took my breath away.”
If this is speaking to you and would like to learn more contact us or fill out our submission form.
WE are a space where women can be celebrated and honoured just as they are; nothing more or less. We encourage you to be nosy and take a look around.
This space is for you. A place where you can be your badass self and surrounded by women raising the bar within themselves.
How I Found Healing in Chaos
Do you ever look back at moments in your life and wonder “How the fuck did I make it through that?”
As a person that prides themselves on being so connected to their emotions, how do you find yourself so disconnected from the reality of these emotions?
About 2.5 years ago, I went through something that changed me forever. A part of me always wonders if that person before everything, still lives inside of me. I don’t think she does but I long for her to come back to me.
A Bandaid Instead of Healing
I lost a piece of myself that day and everyday after. I tried to fill it with other things like work, family, new pets, caffeine, marijuana. Anything that will mask the pain a little longer so I could make through another day, another week, another month. It was like putting a bandaid over the wound instead of taking care of it and allowing it to heal over time.
There is this phrase ”Time heals everything.” And when you’re knee deep in grief, it is hard to believe. It is hard to believe that old wounds will heal. That the pain from those events will lessen, and that one day I will allow myself to be truly happy again.
Healing takes Work
Over these last few months, my eyes have opened wider than they have in years. I could finally see how my broken heart was causing my body to be tired, my mind to be scattered, and my soul to be lost.
It has taken me 2 years to realize that time will not heal everything if I am not willing to put in the work.
And last November, the universe listened to my cries for help and made the decision for me. It was a cluster fuck of chaos. My life felt like it had completely shifted. But through that chaos, I realized I was tired of not living. I was moving through the motions of life but not truly living them. I wanted to not feel guilty for being happy and wanting to be happy.
I may have been a lost soul navigating their way through life but through that process, I found the strength to rediscover myself again and to stop endlessly searching for the “old me”.
Now I choose to live day by day, trying my best not worry about yesterday’s troubles and tomorrow’s worries.
My body is healing. My mind is healing. My soul is healing.
And it feels good to say that.
So I will to leave this here with you.
Hey! I don’t think WE have met.
Welcome to The We Experience.
You are so happy you landed on our page.
We encourage you to be noisy and take a look around. Finding inspiration and a few fucks around every corner.
This space is for you. A space where you can land softly and feel all that you need to feel.
A place where you can be your badass self and surround by women raising the bar within themselves.
We couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come & what we will create together.
Welcome to We.
We always like to toss this out there, if you are feeling called to collaborate with us, we are here for it. Connect with us and lets get your story out there!
